In an era of globalization and borderless societies, people are more likely than ever to encounter others with different values, beliefs, languages, and traditions in everyday life. Possessing intercultural competence not only promotes mutual respect and understanding but also enhances communication, reduces conflict, and fosters inclusive environments. This ability of multicultural awareness, acceptance, and inclusivity is a critical component of emotional intelligence, collaboration, and global citizenship in the 21st century. However, it is crucial to foster this ability during the formative years of childhood personality development. Picture books play a significant role in early childhood education, serving not only as a literacy tool but also as a medium for cognitive, emotional, and social development. Moreover, picture books offer a safe and accessible space for children to explore complex themes such as cultural identity, diversity, empathy, and emotional regulation. Therefore, this study aims to develop a picture book and test its effect in promoting multicultural mental health education among preschool children.
This study used action study as research method. The development of the picture book was based on 3CAPs model (Culturally, Contextually, and Child‑Individually Appropriate Practices) proposed by Li and Chen (2023). In this book, five characters represented different cultural background in the society. The theme was similar to daily activities experienced by preschoolers but focused on different perspectives and reactions from characters. Because shared reading experiences, especially in parent-child or teacher-child contexts, promote bonding, conversational turn-taking, and socio-emotional learning. A parent guidebook was designed. After this picture book was developed, it was reviewed by 2 well-known experts in children's book. We also invited two pairs of parent and child. During reading session, their interactions were observed and documented. Additionally, parents were interviewed afterwards to collect feedback for further improvement of the book. This presentation will include study results and suggestions.